Pirates Enshrine First Ever Hall Of Fame Class

PITTSBURGH, PA — Some of the greatest to ever step on a diamond have called the Steel City home. Now, for the first time ever, the Pittsburgh Pirates are recognizing the city's baseball legends with enshrinement in the franchise's Hall of Fame.

The inaugural class of the Pirates Hall of Fame contains 19 players all told, and includes players from the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays.

“The Pirates have been a part of the fabric of Pittsburgh for more than 135 years. During that time, the game has brought generations of families and friends from our community together to cheer on some of the greatest players who have ever played,” Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. “We are proud to celebrate these players and managers and provide an avenue to continue to share their stories with our fans for generations to come.”

The 12 Pirates on the list will come as no surprise to Pirates fans or even many casual baseball fans. The list includes Honus Wagner, Paul Waner, Lloyd Waner, Fred Clarke, Jake Beckley, Max Carey, Pie Traynor, Roberto Clemente, Ralph Kiner, Arky Vaughan, Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski.

The Hall of Fame also enshrines the city's professionals superstars from past Black leagues, including Josh Gibson (Crawfords & Grays), Ray Brown (Grays), Buck Leonard (Grays), Oscar Charleston (Crawfords & Grays). Gibson is considered to be one of the greatest power hitters in baseball history, once slugging 20 home runs in a 39-game season, while hitting .417 with an otherworldly 1.474 OPS.

The Pirates Hall of Fame will include "former players and managers who have made a significant impact on the franchise, the game of baseball and the Pittsburgh community," the organization said in a news release.

Pirates fans can only hope they're watching the next generation of names on that list in Oneil Cruz, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and others, on the field today.